The Standard Guidelines for Test and Evaluation of Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Technologies

Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF-401) recently announced the adoption of The Standard Guidelines for Test and Evaluation of Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Technologies, requiring that all C-sUAS evaluations capture the same core data to facilitate a single, coherent, and reliable body of evidence for use throughout the Department of War.

Hostile sUAS present a dual threat to U.S. forces through intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations and direct kinetic attacks. Enemy sUAS are increasingly difficult to detect, classify, and defeat as the commercial market produces faster and smaller platforms. To keep pace with this rapidly evolving threat, C-sUAS capabilities must be adaptable and joint in nature.

The development of these C-sUAS capabilities necessitates a framework for common criteria and evaluation standards. Without such standards, existent data will remain in disparate silos of unknown provenance and inconsistent quality. Adopting these common standards will allow JIATF-401 to systematically aggregate and synthesize information, a critical component of future of C-sUAS development.

"The JIATF's one measure of effectiveness is to quickly deliver state of the art C-sUAS capabilities into the hands of warfighters," said Brigadier General Matt Ross, Director of JIATF-401. "Achieving this outcome requires more than innovation; it demands a disciplined approach to testing, evaluation, and continuous improvement that translates promising technologies into operationally relevant solutions at scale."
The new C-sUAS common criteria will address the challenge of comparing different systems by creating a unified approach to testing and analysis. The key features of this new framework include:

• Standardized Evaluations: It establishes a coherent set of criteria to ensure consistent, repeatable, and comparable evaluations of counter-drone technologies across all services and interagency partners.
• Accelerated Capability Delivery: The framework is designed to streamline the testing and fielding process, enabling rapid delivery of the most effective and reliable counter-drone solutions to operators.
• Improved Decision-Making: By generating a reliable body of evidence, the framework will allow for more informed and data-driven decisions regarding the procurement and development of future capabilities.
• Fosters Targeted Innovation: By setting clear and consistent standards, the framework helps guide industry partners to focus their research and development on the most critical capabilities, accelerating the pace of innovation.
• Enhances Resource Stewardship: The new criteria will help eliminate redundant testing efforts and streamline the evaluation process, ensuring that resources are used efficiently to acquire the most effective C-sUAS technologies.
• Increases Operator Confidence: Ensuring all counter-drone technologies meet the same high standard will give warfighters and security personnel greater trust in the tools they use to protect themselves and their missions.
• Unified Joint and Interagency Effort: This initiative helps synchronize counter-drone efforts by uniting the joint force and interagency data toward the common goal of accelerating capabilities delivery.

Background

The Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF-401) has adopted The Standard Guidelines for Test and Evaluation of Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Technologies developed by the Department of War and the Committee on Homeland and National Security of the National Science and Technology Council. These standards provide a common lexicon and schemas that allow for successful aggregation, comparison, and synthesis of collected data. Adopting these standards is critical to enabling future C-sUAS development and will serve as an essential element for advanced mission engineering tools.